Hi, I'm new. I have FM and it's driving me nuts!

[Guest guest]

Hi, I only ask that you please don't tell me to " suck it up " . My Mom

and several others practically told me to do this. No one believes

that it is the most horrible pain one can go through. It's even worse

because I can't show them anything! All I could do was sit in a

recliner and hold very still. Because i was still smiling and able to

talk everyone thought I was faking it. Why in the world would someone

fake that kind of pain?

I should start at the beginning. One I'm obese, I have high blood

pressure, I recently found out I'm a diabetic and have sleep apnea. 8

years ago I found out I am Bi-polar. Now I have FM on top of it all.

About a year ago I noticed that I would have chest pains when I

walked real fast. I thought I forgot my blood pressure meds. Then

just after Thanksgiving last year the pains wouldn't go away. I

thought oops I waited to long to go to the Doc. I had only gotten

insurance in August so hadn't been to a doc in sometime. Heart

disease runs in my family so I thought I had really screwed up.

I was rushed to the hospital as we thought I was having a heart

attack. Well after many, many tests. I found that my heart etc is in

excellent shape concidering my size. However, I was given nothing for

the pain and told to go see my family doctor. So I got in to see him

and he said it was Acid reflux. I've had that and knew it wasn't. But

to a specialist I went. Again no pain killer. The pain was annoying

at first and was getting worse by the day. I started getting angry

because no one was listening. I went for a biopsy that the specialist

said i didn't really need. I have healthy kidneys, gall bladder,

liver and any other part you can imagine. No tumors in my head no

blockages. Nothing. I would be looked at. They would find nothing and

I would be dismissed. Just after Christmas I went yet again to the

family doc. I told him I was taking 4 advil every 2 - 3 hours. I know

that isn't good. Taking that much only took the edge off by this

time. It had spread up to my face from arm to arm, down my back and

to my legs. I was being eaten alive and no one could see it! I was

crying all the time by then. I told the doc i wasn't leaving until he

gave me something. He tried some other pain killers but nothing

seemed to work. Not even Vicodin.

I was on fire! My muscles were jumping all over. I couldn't lay

flat. I couldn't walk. I could hardly push the button on the remote.

I just sat in a chair and wished it would go away.

Finally, the doc said i was to go to a RA specialist. Now here I

have to confess. If this RA doc could do nothing I was seriously

thinking of doing myself in. My faith tells me that would be the

ultimate sin. It upset me very much. I now have a new understanding

for terminally ill people.

The good news. They didn't treat me like I was insane. They told

me what I had. They gave me some meds that so far are helping

greatly. I have a plan for dealing with this. I now find it extremely

annoying.

The plan is to deal with the sleep apnea. I definatly have it and

am currently waiting to recieve the air pump to go with the mask.

This will help me start to relax at night and get the sleep I haven't

had in a long time. I am on a strict diet and need to loose 35 pounds

so that I can have the by pass on my stomach done. This is easier

said than done. I have found that it is hard to change my eating

habits. I need to exersize. The mind is willing and even the body.

But like someone else in here said. My body punishes me for 2 days

after the simplest of exersizes. I can ride a stationary bike for 15

to 30 mins. As long as i don't move my upper body. I'm forever being

told to walk by all the docs. I really can't. I can sometimes do 2 -

7 laps in the gym but my chest starts to hurt so much I feel like i

can't breath. I can't lift the lightest of weights. Anything with my

arms and I have to sleep in a chair again.

Has anyone conquered this walking thing and how did you do it?

For me it doesn't matter how fast or slow. It still happens.

OK back to that game plan. The RA doc said that in therory, if I

loose the weight, get the sleep and exersize I need I should beable

to get rid of most of my meds. I should no longer be a diabetic, no

longer have high blood pressure, hopefully the FM will go away or

least be easier to handle. Not to mention I should feel really good

mentally and physically.

So that's my problems in a nut shell. Any in put would be great.

It is great to see I'm not alone. Like a lot of you I have a life

that seems to be leaving me slowly behind. I have grandchildren I

want to play with. Place to see, people to meet etc, etc.

Sorry, I've spouted off so soon. It's been nice reading all of

you. Thanks, Jan